Knockdown cribbing



F. H. BRENTON.

KNOCKDOWN' CRIBBING.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 2. 1920.

Patented Dec. 7, 1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l- WM l' r M 1/ 7 y F. H. BRENTON.

KNOCKDOWN CRIBBING.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 2. 1920.

Patented Dec. 7, 1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- "lnl'lnnnnnnn MIIIIIIIIHM UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK HENRY BRENTON, OF'PITTSTON, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO UNITED STATES PORTABLE CRIBBING COMTEANY, OF PITTSTON, PENNSYLVANIA.

KNOCKDOVJN CRIBBING.

Patented Dec, '7, 1920.

Application filed June 2,1920. Serial No. 386,013.

T all to 700m it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK H. BRENTON, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Pittston, in the county of Luzerne act description of the invention, such as bers of the latter a metal cribbing the sections will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to an improvement in cribbing for graves, trenches, etc., and is designed particularly as an improvement on the structures shown in Patents 789,183 and 789,140 granted May 9th, 1905, to John Struthers and myself.

In the patents the side members of the cribbing are made of wood and are necessarily of a thckness to prevent collapse of the side walls ofthe excavation, and the end members or stretchers are of fixed length and are mountedin mortise boxes at the ends of the side members. Vvith such construction the excavation must be made wider than is necessary for the casket, sewer pipes,

etc., in order to receive the wood curbing and leave suflicient space between the side memifor the entrance of the casket, pipe, etc. Again the end members or stretchers possible to force and hold the side members against the side walls of the excavation un less the latter be of the same width and length as the cribbing, which is not always possible to do. 'Again as the parts of the cribbing were of fixed length and designed particularly for cemetery work it was necessary to have several. sets for the different size caskets. I

The object of my invention is to provide of which are reinforced or ribbed longitudinally and provided with means for the attachment of the section next below. 'A further object is to provide a cribbing the sections of which are detachably connected and adjustable as to length so as to snugly fit the excavation for which they are intended.

A further object is to provide a cribbing of the knock down type, the side members of which are extensible and the end members extensible and each detachably engaging two oppositely disposed side members.

being of fixed length it is im- With these and other objects in view my invention consists in the parts and combination of parts and in the details of construction as will be more fully explained and set forth inthe claims. In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 1s a view of my improvement showing the parts assembled; Fig. 2 is a view in section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a view in elevation of one of the sections showing a second section in dotted lines depending therefrom; Fig. 4 is a view in elevation of an endsection or stretcher; Fig. 5 is a View in elevation of a single rigid side section; Fig. 6 is a view in side elevation showing a stretcher adapted particularly for trench work and holding two side sections in place and Fig. 7 is a plan view of the same.

The improvement comprises a series of side members and end stretchers. The side members 5 are each made of sheet metal and are grooved and ribbed longitudinally as at 6 so that they may be made of comparatively thin metal and be readily handled and at the same time be' sufficiently strong and rigid to support the earth at the side of the grave or other excavation. I prefer to make each section-5 in two parts 5 and 5 the part 5 having a centrally located longitudinal slot 7 near one end and the part 5 carrying two thumb screws 8 which pass through the said slot for clamping the two parts together. The slot may be of such length to provide for an adjustment that will permit the section to be used in graves of different lengths and the parts are so constructed that the grooves formed in one part of a section receives the projecting ribs of its companion part of the same section so that the ribs and grooves take the strain from the thumb screws.

The top sections of the cribbing are preferably provided with the integral end extensions 9 which rest on the surface of the ground or other support, and support the section within the grave or other excavation, and it is also provided adjacent its lower edge and near its ends "with the inwardly projecting hooks 10 formed-by slitting the metal and bending the metal between the slitsinwardly to form the hooks for the attachment of the section next below. The second section and all the sections below'the top sections are provided at their upper edges adjacent their ends with the elon ated horizontal slots 11 to receive the hooks 10 of the section next above, and each section is provided about midway its width and adj acent its ends with the vertical slots 12 to receive the bent tongues 13 integral with the end or stretcher members 14. These members, like the side members 5 are provided respectively with a slot 15 in one section and one or more screws in the other section for locking the sections after they have been adjusted, and after the side members have been applied to a grave or other excavation, the

end members are applied by entering the bent tongues 13 in the slots 12 and then securing the two parts of the end section together by the screw or screws as the case may be. By this means the side members may be located against the side of the excavation after which the end members are adjusted and applied so as to support the side members against the side of the excavation. After the top sections 'have been applied the excavations can be continued sufficiently for the introduction of the second set. The side members of the second section are then hooked onto the hooks 10 of the top section after which the end sections or stretchers are applied and so on as far down as may be necessary for safety.

With this construction the edges of the sections of each member overlap the lower edge of the section next above, and as the end sections are extensible they may be readily applied to the side sections and then expanded or lengthened to force the side sections solidly against the earth and thus prevent the earth at the side, even if it be new or quicksand, from falling into the excavation.

For sewer and trench excavation, the side members may be in a single piece as shown in Fig. 5 ribbed and grooved as above described with their ends abutting and held in place by the turn buckle type of stretcher shown in Figs. 6 and 7.

In the modification the stretchers 16 are provided at each end with a clamping plate 17 each of which is of a length to straddle the ribs 6 on the side members or plates and is provided with bent ends 18 to engage the outer ribs to form supports for the stretchers, the two end members of the stretcher 16 being connected by a screw by which it may be adjusted for any width of trench.

With my improvement as shown in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive the parts being adjustable as to length adapts it particularly for cemetery work as the parts can be adjusted for graves of different sizes and when in place cover the sides of the excavation and form an ornamental lining which of course is removed as the grave is filled. Again being of comparatively thin metal lessens to a considerable extent the size of the excavation and stood that I do not confine myself to the exact construction and arrangement of parts shown and described except in so far as I a may be limited by the scope of the appended claims.

Having fully described my invention what I'claim as new and desire to secure by Letters-Patent, is I 1. A metal cribbing composed of a series of knock-down members, each lower side member being detachably suspended from the member next above, and stretchers having detachable engagement at their ends with said side members, each of said stretchers being of two parts, the meeting ends of which overlap, whereby they can be lengthened and shortened and means for locking the two parts of the stretchers together.

2. A metal cribbing composed of a series of knock-clown side members each having horizontal longitudinal ribs on its inner face, the said'members being detachably connected by hook and slot connection, and detachable stretchers, each made of two sections overlapping at their inner ends, the outer ends of said stretchers engaging the side members for holding them against the side walls of the excavation and means for locking the overlapping ends of the stretch ers.

3. A metal cribbing composed of a series of side members made up of overlapping sections and stretchers engaging the side members for holding the latter against the sides of the excavation, the said stretchers also made in two sections with overlapping ends, means for locking together the sections of each side member, and means for locking together the sections of each stretcher.

4. A cribbing composed of a series of side members each of which is made up, of two sections overlapping at their inner ends,

means for securing the overlapping ends together and a hook and slot connection for securing the lower members to the members next above.

5. A cribbing composed of a series of two part members the inner ends of the parts of each member overlapping, means for looking the two parts together and means for detachably suspending each lower side member from the member next above.

6. A metal cribbing composed of a series of two part extensible side members, the inner ends of the two parts ofeach member overlapping, screw devices for adjustably connecting said parts, hook and eye connections for suspending them one from another, end members each made of two parts with their inner ends overlapping and screw devices for connecting said end member parts, each end member being detachably connected at its ends to two side members.

7 A metal cribbing composed of a series of two part side members the inner ends of the two parts of each member overlapping, one of said overlapping parts having a slot and the other a screw device passing through the slot for locking the two parts together, a series of two part end members each having tongues at its ends to enter slots in the side members, and screw devices for locking the two parts of each end member together.

8. A metal cribbing composed of a series of extensible side members each composed of two sections, the sections of each side member being ribbed and grooved, the ribs of one section fitting the grooves in the other sections, means for locking the sections of each member together and extensible end members each of which engage two oppositely disposed side members.

In testimony whereof, I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

FRANK HENRY BRENTON.

Witnesses:

NORMAN R. BROWN, WM. F. ZIEGLER. 

